Melbourne Vanilla Slice 🍮

Method

1. 1

   Roll pastry to fit a 38x25 cm tray, cut in two, dock with a fork, lay on baking paper and weigh down with a second tray. Bake 200°C 20 minutes, then 180°C 10 minutes with top tray removed so the sheets go deep gold and crisp flat.

2. 2

   Whisk yolks, sugar and cornflour to a ribbon. Simmer milk with vanilla seeds and pod; pour a third over the yolks to temper, return all to the pan.

3. 3

   Cook, whisking, until it boils and bubbles thick for 1 full minute (kills the starch taste). Off heat whisk in butter; press film on surface and cool completely.

4. 4

   Mix fondant with hot water and syrup to the texture of pouring cream — stiff enough to set, loose enough to spread 3 mm.

5. 5

   Pipe or spread cold custard over one sheet, cap with the second, spread fondant on top. Chill 30 minutes until the lid firms.

6. 6

   Cut with a sharp, warm knife across the fondant first (chop down gently to crack it cleanly), then through the layers. Melbourne standard: one piece should be structurally indefensible. Eat over a plate.